Bucket Fabrication

ABSTRACT

A back hoe bucket assembly of a kind having a bucket defining cavity bounded by spaced end plates, a cutting edge plate, one or more other plates spanning between the end plates, and a hitch assembly on the bucket for attachment to a complementary boom attachment. An angle plate extends above the bucket to span to each of the end plates, to define, together with the or a spanning plate(s), a hollow rigidifying form, and the hitch assembly is fixably attached directly in part, or indirectly in part, to said angle plate.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to buckets and in particular buckets for attachment to an attachment feature of a boom of, for example, a vehicle.

Most preferably the present invention relates to a bucket fabrication or assembly (“bucket assembly”) suitable for use with a back hoe machine or excavator.

BACKGROUND ART

The present invention has recognised a potential saving in material (usually steel) as well as no drop off in performance or indeed an improvement in performance of a bucket assembly suitable for use as a back hoe bucket.

The present invention recognises that fabrication from plate steel, optionally in conjunction with some cast members, (e.g. of for example a hitch attachment device, a cutting plate or the like), can be made.

Accordingly reference herein to “plate” includes within its ambit not only plates cut from a flat sheet of plate metal but also a contoured or other shape whether formed from sheet material or cast or however otherwise formed. It is however a preferment that any reference to “plate” is in respect of an expanse of material having a thinness very much less than at least some of its other dimensions.

The present invention recognises an ability to utilise a variety of different components in the fabrication of a bucket assembly which, in preferred forms, uses less steel than with previous designs and/or preferably provides a higher or adequate strength notwithstanding a simple welded construction which tends to minimise components and material useage.

It is to this that the present invention is directed.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In an aspect the invention is a back hoe or excavator bucket assembly having

a bucket defining cavity bounded by at least

-   -   spaced end plates or end plate sets,     -   a cutting edge plate, and     -   one or more other plates spanning (“spanning plate(s)”) between         the end plates or end plate sets,

(optionally at least one rib or more ribs interiorly of the cavity of the bucket at least substantially parallel to or substantially intersecting the disposition of the end plates or end plate sets), and

a hitch assembly on the bucket for attachment to a complementary boom attachment,

wherein an angle plate extends above the bucket to span to each of the end plates, or to each of a plate of the end plate sets, to define, together with the or a spanning plate(s), a hollow rigidifying form,

and wherein the hitch assembly is fixably attached directly in part, or indirectly in part, to said angle plate.

As used herein “angle plate” includes one or more plate (coacting if more than one plate) able to define at least in part a hollow beam transverse of the bucket reliant in part of an underlying separate or integral plate.

The end plate(s) can splay outwardly towards the front of the bucket.

Preferably the cutting edge plate does not define or carry teeth, but may do so.

Preferably the extent of the hitch assembly in the directions parallel to the end to end axis of the bucket is very much less than the end to end distance. For example, much less than 50%. Preferably about or even less than 25%.

Preferably at least one rib is present.

Preferably the spanning plate(s) is a single plate acting as a wrap of the rib(s). In some embodiments it can have some lapping of its plates.

Preferably the angle plate is welded at each end (at least in part) to a complementary edge of an end plate and the spanning plate(s) is butt welded (at least in part) to those end plates at each end below the edge.

Preferably spanning plate(s) between the end plates or end plate sets ate of less thickness than the or that end plate at each end associated with the cutting edge plate as well as the cutting edge plate itself.

Preferably a spanning rib or bar exteriorly is fixed to the wrap or spanning plate(s) and preferably that spanning rib or bar has part of the hitch assembly fixed thereto (e.g. parallel ears that support a spaced pair of shafts).

In one embodiment, where the quick hitch assembly is fixably attached indirectly in part to said angle plate, there is a pivot in the hitch assembly that is transverse to the spanning axis of said angle plate.

Where there is a pivot in the hitch assembly preferably there is a carried ram or carried rams to orientate the bucket relative to that part of the pivot including hitch assembly for attachment to a complementary boom attachment.

Preferably in a pivoted form at least in part the structure from which the quick hitch is pivoted overlies at least one rib.

In the form where there is no pivot in the hitch assembly preferably the hitch assembly includes a pair of spaced plates that extend transversely of the spanning axis of said angle plate and such spaced plates of the hitch assembly carries there between two pins, shafts or the like each to be engaged laterally by the attachment of a said complementary boom attachment.

Preferably in a non pivoted form of the quick hitch assembly, a plate of said spaced plates each overlies a rib.

The angle plate is a folded plate or a fabricated “L” shaped plate with respect to the plate on which it tests and forming the top of the bucket when in an operational condition, (preferably) has the forward facing arm of the angle plate at 25° to the bucket spanning plate angling backwards from the front whilst (preferably) the other arm is at an angle of about 55° angling back towards the rear of the bucket.

Preferably when the top of the spanning plate is substantially planar and is positioned horizontally, preferably the cutting edge plate and preferably part of the spanning plate(s) into which or to which it attaches, or which it overlies in part, is at 30° to the horizontal.

Preferably with respect to the spanning plate datum for the angles of about 25° and about 55° preferably the pin or shaft spacings are at an angle of 8° with respect to the spanning plate datum (being, within about 3°, the planar substantially horizontal region of the spanning plate at the top of the bucket cavity).

In another aspect the invention is a back hoe or excavator bucket assembly having a bucket defining cavity bounded by at least

-   -   spaced end plates or end plate sets,     -   a cutting edge plate, and     -   one or more other plates spanning (“spanning plate(s)”) between         the end plates or end plate sets,

(optionally at least one rib or more ribs interiorly of the cavity of the bucket at least substantially parallel to or substantially intersecting the disposition of the end plates or end plate sets), and

a hitch assembly on the bucket for attachment to a complementary boom attachment,

wherein a hollow beam extends between each of the end plates, or to each of a plate of the end plate sets, (optionally in conjunction with a spanning plate), to define a hollow rigidifying form above said bucket defined cavity,

and wherein the hitch assembly is fixably attached directly in part, or indirectly in part, to said hollow beam.

In still another aspect the invention is a bucket assembly as hereinafter described with reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings.

The invention also consists in uses and combinations of such equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings in which

FIG. 1 is a metric view of a preferred wide bucket assembly in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the bucket of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a top view of the bucket assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 4 is a side view of a bucket assembly of FIGS. 1 to 3,

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the fabrication components of the assembly of FIGS. 1 to 4,

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an even wider form of the bucket assembly,

FIG. 7 is a side view in cross section at AA of the bucket of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the bucket of FIGS. 6 and 7 showing the components from which it can be formed,

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a pivot including bucket assembly,

FIG. 10 is a top view of the assembly of FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the bucket assembly of FIGS. 9 and 10,

FIG. 12 is another isometric view of a bucket assembly of FIGS. 9 to 11,

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view at BB with respect to FIG. 11, and

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view at CC with respect to FIG. 11.

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the three embodiments. Each is of a largely welded construction from plate and other steel, etc.

In the first embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 these components from which the assembly has been fabricated is as set out in Table 1.

TABLE 1 1 Wrap 2 Side Panels 3 Cutting Edge 4 Shaft - Dia 65 5 Side Styles 6 Side Styles 7 Rib Panel 8 Flat Bar 60 × 12 9 Rib Plate 10 Ears 11 Washer Collar - 110 × 65 bore 15 Long 12 Location Sleeve - 80 NB API Linr 13 Washer Collar

As can be seen FIGS. 1 through 8 show a form of wide bucket for association with a quick hitch at the end of a boom of a vehicle, (e.g. a back hoe). Such a quick hitch can be of any suitable type but is preferably one of a kind disclosed in one or more of out patent specifications or as marketed by us as the J B QUICK HITCH COUPLER™.

In the preferred form of the present invention a feature of the invention is a provision of a spanning member 1 as a wrap around of spaced ribs 9 and the association therewith with of weld connected end plates 2 and 5. As can be seen the wrap 1 can be of steel (for example, a thin plate steel) reinforced by a spanning bar of plate steel 8 and reinforced at its top by the angle section (rib panel) 7. In addition the cutting edge plate 3 (preferably untoothed) is connected or laps at least in part, or receives, the wrap plate 1.

Also seen from particularly the exploded diagram is the manner by which the angle section 7 relates to the top of the thicker sectioned end plates 5 and 6 (side styles) and preferably in part, part of the lesser thickness plates 2. Preferably welding at the end of the angle section 7 is to the top of the members 5 and 6 respectively as well as of the wrap to the edge of the members 2 and into a butt weld with the members 5 and 6 respectively.

Supporting the cutting edge as well as the wrap and the overlying angle section 7 is the rib pairing, preferably welded to the spanning wrap plate.

The hitch arrangement itself with its shafts 4 is preferably carried by the plates 10 (“ears”) each of which directly overlies a rib 9 and is welded to the angle section 7, optionally a forward part of the wrap, the behind angle section 7 part of the wrap and to the spanning bar 8.

A feature of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 is the angling.

Preferably the angle alpha is about 30° to the horizontal as shown in the drawing. Relative to that planar section of the wrap shown by the broken lines in FIG. 4 (even if not fully horizontal in the condition depicted when the angle alpha is 30°) are angles beta and gamma respectively for the front facing and rear facing arms of the angle section relative to the plane shown by the broken line or the horizontal which may differ by up to 5° (e.g. about 3°).

Preferably the relativity of the angles beta and gamma are about 25° (±10°) and about 55° (±10°) to that plane shown by the broken line in FIG. 4.

Preferably the shaft axes are angled relative to that same broken line by an angle of about 8° with the rearmost shaft higher over a centre to centre expanse of, for example, about 230 mm. By way of example the rib spacings is preferably of the order of about 160 mm.

The embodiments of FIG. 6 through 8 is much the same as disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 5 but where the end plate spacing is of the order of 1.8 m as opposed 1.5 m in die embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The features are identifiable using Table 2.

TABLE 2 14 Shaft - Dia 15 Washer Collar 16 Location Sleeve 17 Wrap 18 Side Panels 19 Cutting Edge 20 Ears 21 Side Styles 22 Side Styles 23 Rib Panel 24 Flat Bar 25 Rib Plate

Again however the same angles (not shown in FIGS. 5 through 7) apply insofar as the rib panel or angle section is concerned. Again there is locking down of the rear hitch components 20 onto the reinforcing plate 24 much as in the earlier embodiment.

The embodiment of FIGS. 9 to 14 is shown with features identifiable using Table 3.

TABLE 3 26 Wrap 27 Side Panels 28 Cutting Edge 29 Flat Bar 30 Side Styles 31 Side Styles 32 Rib Plate 33 Pivot Plate - Front 34 Pivot Pate - Back 35 Rear Gusset Plate 36 Boss 37 Pivot Housing + Ears Assy 38 CYL Bracket 39 Pivot Shaft 40 Pin Plate 41 Location Sleeve 42 (e.g. 2 in, 3 in or 4 in) Hydraulic Cylinder 43 Rib Panel 44 Gusset Plate - Folded 45 Cyl Plate 46 Pivot Plate - Front 47 Pin Assy 48 Pin Stop Plate 49 Guard 50 Flat Bar

The embodiment of FIGS. 9 through 14 is of a preferred form which varies from those previously disclosed in that there is provided a pivot axis on the shaft 39 with the top part of the hitch being much as previously but of course with the ability to be rotated relative to die bucket assembly and the mounting plates 33 and 34 under the action of the hydraulic ram.

Again there is a spanning bar but this time in addition a gusset 35 to reinforce the bucket itself and the wrap. In addition as can be seen in FIG. 14 preferably there is a double layer of the metal from which the wrap is formed for all parts of the wrap (save optionally for directly where the gusset reinforcement 35 is positioned and optionally over the end to end extent thereof.

Again the angling is as previously described with respect to the rib plate 32.

Features apparent from the preferred form of the present invention insofar as advantages are concerned quite apart from the defined constructional features of the present invention include

1. angles of about 25 and about 55 degrees used maximise strength and functionality

2. Simple construction minimises components but maximises strength

3. Centre shaft is tied to front plate and back to share load

4. Simple pivot housing allowing construction from fabrication or cast

5. Less steel than previous designs but higher strength.

In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art. 

1-27. (canceled)
 28. A back hoe bucket assembly comprising or including a first end plate or end plate assembly (“first end plate”), a second end plate or end plate assembly (“second end plate”), a cutting edge plate from the bottom region of said first end plate to the bottom region of said second end plate so as to provide at least part of the cutting edge of the bucket assembly, one or more other plates (“spanning plate(s)”) connecting each of said first and second end plates and connecting to said cutting edge plate, an angle plate or angle plate assembly (“angle plate”) overlying part of said spanning plate(s) between, and connecting directly or indirectly to each of, said first and said second end plates so as to define with part of said spanning plate(s) a hollow rigidifying form across above the cutting edge plate, the exterior angle of the angle plate being upwards, at least one rib interiorally of said spanning plate(s) distal from both said first and second end plates, and a hitch assembly fixed in part down onto said angle plate and about part of said spanning plate(s) at least substantially over said at least one rib, wherein said hitch assembly has pins, or provision for pins, one in advance of and one to the rear of the exterior angle of said angle plate and such pins or provision for pins are mounted to span between upstanding and at least substantially parallel plates set down edgewise over said angle plate.
 29. The back hoe bucket of claim 28 wherein there are two said ribs and each underlies a plate of said hitch assembly.
 30. The back hoe bucket of claim 28 wherein the spanning plate(s) are a single plate or at least two plates each of which fully spans from said first end plate to said second end plate and is connected thereto.
 31. The back hoe bucket as claimed in claim 30 wherein said angle plate is fixed indirectly to said end plates via said spanning plate(s).
 32. The back hoe plate as claimed in claim 30 wherein said spanning plate(s) acts as a wrap of said end plates and said at least one rib.
 33. The back hoe bucket as claimed in claim 32 wherein one of said pins or arrangements to receive a pin of said hitch assembly is above the angle plate in advance of the exterior angle of the angle plate and one or more other pins, or provisions for pin placement, are to the rear of said exterior angle of the angle plate.
 34. The back hoe bucket of claim 28 wherein each end plate is an assembly of plates at least one plate reinforcing to a leading edge or providing the leading edge. 